


Farewell

by Lazuliblur



Series: Torushina [3]
Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, all of Celena's friends are dust, movie verse, perks of being a History student, plus mentions of assorted others
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 15:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15889233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazuliblur/pseuds/Lazuliblur
Summary: Before he can join the Abaharaki, Allen has to leave Celena.





	Farewell

Allen hesitated on his way out of the Legrange house. Celena hugged herself a bit tighter, bracing herself against whatever new thought had occurred to him.

"I promise I'll write. I'll write you every day. I'll send so many letters that you won't know what to do with them. I promise it won't be like Mother."

His eyes shone with hope, begging his little sister for acceptance, if not forgiveness, but her gaze refused to soften. If he wanted to leave her in that strange house, abandon her in that forgotten corner of Gaea while he went off to fight the Black Dragon warlords, then he could deal with her silence.

She had already said everything that she had to say—that she wanted to go with him, that she refused to be left aside, that, even though she barely knew how to hold a sword, she could make herself useful to him and the Abaharaki in other ways. He had ignored every single one of her pleas, claiming that he could not bear the thought of her being around danger. Now it was her turn to do the ignoring. Let him feel how much rejection hurt.

Allen's gaze dropped as the silence grew. He turned around, shoulders slumped, sad eyes hidden behind long blond hair, and made his way to the small group of Abaharaki waiting for him outside. Their friends' faces were the last thing that Celena saw before the door closed: Gaddes and Reeden, Pyle and Millerna, all uncharacteristically grim in the face of Allen's disappointment.

Once alone, Signora Aldith, the lady of the Legrange household, laid a hand on Celena's back. The touch startled her, as she had forgotten that there were others in the room.

"You know, child, this could be the last time in a long while that you see your brother," Aldith said.

A hot lump formed in Celena's throat that prevented her from speaking. She had been hurting and so it had only seemed fair for her to make Allen experience some of that awful feeling. At the same time, though, she was aware of how dangerous the war had become and how easily Allen might never return. Tragedy could rob Celena of her brother, her last remaining family, and she would never even know about it. It was why she had not wanted to be separated from him in the first place.

Somehow, hearing it spoken aloud in someone else's voice made it more real. It was like being hit by the first dusty winds of a desert storm that had been assumed would pass.

Allen had mentioned their mother. If there was one thing that he could never be accused of, it was that he did not know or understand how his sister's mind worked, for that was the exact direction that Celena's thoughts had taken the moment that he had conceived of this plan to keep her safe at all costs.

Their father had gone missing during an expedition to learn about the Dragon Folk of old and their mother had left Torushina to meet with the remaining members of Leon Schezar's team, to find out more about what had happened and to follow the search for her husband up close. She had wanted to be there as soon as he was located.

" _I'll let you know once I have news,_ " Encia had said, hugging Celena and Allen both on the doorstep of their home in Torushina. Her luggage had already been loaded onto a carriage and she had been wearing a plain long skirt and blouse—practical travel clothes so different from the frilled and laced gowns that she usually favoured that it almost felt like hugging a stranger. " _Allen, I want you to look after your sister. And you, Celena, be brave and be good to your brother._ "

They had all been so afraid for their father, that it never occurred to them to worry about their mother. It was the last time that either of them had seen or heard from Encia Schezar. All that Celena knew was that their mother had disappeared sometime after meeting up with the University of Torushina's archaeology team, though she had always suspected that Allen was privy to a lot more details that he refused to share.

Celena had been seven years-old then. Now, at fifteen, history was repeating itself.

She had always regretted not giving her mother a proper goodbye.

"Excuse me, Signora Aldith," Celena said, already taking the first steps towards running out the door. The old lady was more than happy to let her go without reproach.

The weather outside was dry and sunny, as it always was in that desert region. Allen stood by his horse, being comforted by Millerna while the others in the group kept busy strapping down bags and supplies to give the pair some kind of privacy.

"Allen," Celena called.

The effects were instantaneous. As though he could see straight through his little sister's head—which, after all the trouble that she had caused him over the years, she had no doubt that he could—Allen knew that her anger had dissipated and that he was forgiven. They met half-way between the Legranges' house and the Abaharaki caravan.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me."

The apologies flowed from both sides, accepted without hesitation and with warm smiles full of love.

"I just want what's best for you, Celena. I promise that I'll be all right. Nothing bad will happen. Gaddes and the others will be with me."

"Then I'll worry that you'll be so busy keeping them safe that you won't look out for yourself."

"Don't let them hear you say that." Allen gave her a complicit smile, touching his forehead down to hers.

Celena gripped his wrist, the same that bore his lucky prayer beads, and sent the gods a quick appeal to let her brother find his way back to her, safe and sound. She did not normally pray, so the heartfelt sincerity of the spontaneous gesture surprised even her.

"I'll think of you every day," she said.

As Allen hugged her one last time, Celena spied Millerna and the others looking their way. She waved at them from behind Allen's back and was glad when they returned it.

The entire trip to the Legranges, she had privately resented them for being allowed to stay with Allen when she could not. Millerna was not much older than her. Unlike Celena, though, she had talent with a sword and could fight for a long time without tiring. Not to mention that, as a Torushinai Princess, she had important acquaintances throughout the nations of Gaea. In contrast, Celena's endurance was best measured by how long she could sit still while reading a book and the members of noble families that she was most familiar with were deceased some four centuries past.

It felt good to part on good terms with Millerna and the others now, like shedding a heavy, unwanted mantle that she had not realised she carried.

Allen's embrace came to an end sooner than Celena would have liked, but, at this point, there was no finite length of time that would have satisfied her. The siblings locked gazes and Celena gave Allen a determined nod—permission and blessing for his departure.

The group finished tying down blankets and provisions. The horses were well loaded and shuffled under the weight on their backs as the riders mounted. From there, they had a long way to go until regrouping with the main Abaharaki convoy.

Celena stayed outside until there was no more sign of them on the horizon.


End file.
